DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said: “One of the
marching orders of President Aquino for the DENR is to clean the air not only
in Metro Manila but in all other urban centers in the country. This is
understandable because if we go by the report of the Department of Health that
60%-70% of medicines sold in the market are for bronchitis, asthma and other
respiratory illnesses, we could say that air pollution is already taking its
toll on our people.”

The Clean Air Act is primarily implemented by
the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Transportation and
Communication (DOTC), Trade and Industry (DTI), Energy (DOE), and local
government units.

To lessen air pollution from motor vehicles, the
Land Transportation Office-Motor Vehicle Inspection Service requires smoke
emission tests prior to renewal of registration. Local government units and
partners from the private sector have been aggressive in initiating programs to
fight air pollution caused by vehicles.

Now here are
the rotten tomatoes again. Some of the deputized LGUs are seeing opportunities
to make business out of the situation.

They are
using local tickets to exceed
the standards for emission test. Looking closely to the said tickets,
it has to be properly marked for being deputized for the purpose of Roadside
Inspection of Motor Vehicle from DOTC and DENR.

The reason
for this is not to give leeway for corruption, but still, the opportunists
found a way to make a milking cow out of the non-complying motorists. The
result, half of those smoke belching vehicles are not repaired and still out
there giving away “poison” to our air.

Let us look
into the brighter side: MVIS is initiating an anti-red tape policy, let’s give
them a chance.

For the LGU
officials who are making a fortune out ofair-pollution, remember that “if there’s smoke, there is fire.” It is
not far from being caught, now that our people are aware of the results of
air-pollution.